Uploaded April 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Maximise your chances of hatching lots of healthy baby chicks by storing your fertile eggs correctly, before you incubate them or put them under your broody hen.
Collect the eggs frequently, keep them clean and handle them gently.
Store them at a stable temperature, around 13°C (55 °F), although anywhere between 8°C (45°F) and 18°C (65°F) is probably ok. The longer you need to store them, the cooler you should aim for, but never below 4°C.
The ideal humidity is around 70%, or at any rate between 50% and 85%. This is usually not difficult to achieve.
A warmish fridge might be at the right temperature but the humidity will probably be too low.
Store them in a position that will encourage the air bubble to form in the large end of the egg. This is important because just before hatching, the chick will orient itself with its head towards the large end of the egg and it needs the air bubble to breathe before it breaks the shell.
Turn or tilt the eggs one way then the other each day during storage. See the video for an easy way to achieve this using a small and a large egg carton.
Don't seal it up tight - the eggs need some oxygen.
Shipped eggs need special care - pick them up from the courier depot if you can, rest them 12 - 24 hours before storage (even if they are a bit old), check for cracked shells. Shipped eggs might have air bubble deformities, which lower the hatch rate.
When it's time to set the eggs, bring them slowly up to room temperature before putting them in the incubator or under the broody hen. Set all the eggs at once.
For more fascinating facts, hints and tips about caring for your chickens, and the sheer pleasure of chickens, subscribe to my channel: Chickens in my garden - New Zealand
youtube.com/c/Chickensinmygarden
Catch up with me on Facebook facebook.com/chickensinmygarden
Maximise your chances of hatching lots of healthy baby chicks by storing your fertile eggs correctly, before you incubate them or put them under your broody hen.
Collect the eggs frequently, keep them clean and handle them gently.
Store them at a stable temperature, around 13°C (55 °F), although anywhere between 8°C (45°F) and 18°C (65°F) is probably ok. The longer you need to store them, the cooler you should aim for, but never below 4°C.
The ideal humidity is around 70%, or at any rate between 50% and 85%. This is usually not difficult to achieve.
A warmish fridge might be at the right temperature but the humidity will probably be too low.
Store them in a position that will encourage the air bubble to form in the large end of the egg. This is important because just before hatching, the chick will orient itself with its head towards the large end of the egg and it needs the air bubble to breathe before it breaks the shell.
Turn or tilt the eggs one way then the other each day during storage. See the video for an easy way to achieve this using a small and a large egg carton.
Don't seal it up tight - the eggs need some oxygen.
Shipped eggs need special care - pick them up from the courier depot if you can, rest them 12 - 24 hours before storage (even if they are a bit old), check for cracked shells. Shipped eggs might have air bubble deformities, which lower the hatch rate.
When it's time to set the eggs, bring them slowly up to room temperature before putting them in the incubator or under the broody hen. Set all the eggs at once.
For more fascinating facts, hints and tips about caring for your chickens, and the sheer pleasure of chickens, subscribe to my channel: Chickens in my garden - New Zealand
youtube.com/c/Chickensinmygarden
Catch up with me on Facebook facebook.com/chickensinmygarden
